Montana Summer 2012 - Part 2

Wowsa....I am so, so, so very far behind in posting pictures and updating the blog.  I've been having some computer hiccups (my preview version of Windows 8 was not compatible with the sites I use to make collages) and with 'summer hours' for the kiddos bedtime, it means that 'mama time' doesn't start until WAY too late. 

Anyway.....here's Part 2 of the Montana trip (warning, there will be lots and lots of parts). 

So, on Thursday, Sean and the kids drove from Helena to Billings, and I flew in from Seattle.  After dinner, I headed to a splash park that is very near to my parents house.  The kids had a blast, and the it was so HOT, that it was a perfect way to end the day.

 You wouldn't even know from these happy baby pictures above that Caelan spent most of our time in Billings pooping ~with a fiery diaper rash - who knows if she had a bug or if it was because she wasn't eating anything but milk and it was HOT. 

In fact, when we went back to the car after the park closed, I discovered she had pooped in her permanent swim diaper and I had forgotten to bring a diaper bag or change of clothes for either kid....mama fail....Brennan stripped down in the parking lot and rode home with a towel draped over him, and Caelan just stayed as she was in her car seat, as I had nothing to clean off the poop with.  Immediate bath was called for when we got home. 

 

 Brennan LOVED to stand under these buckets and wait for them to dump water on him.  The shots below are the best sequence. 

 

 

The collage below is all the other good shots I got of the anticipation & water dump.....

On Friday, we all went to a water park that recently opened down the street from my parents.

Brennan spent most of his time playing with a new friend on this play structure.  He's there in the front, in the blue shirt running as fast as he can. 

there was also a little Lazy River that had a current to it to push you along.  She looks very happy in this picture, but the moment passed quickly.  She didn't particularly like being on Sean's back.....it was not super warm the day we went. 

Brennan mustered up enough courage to go down the waterslide a few times.....here he is coming down with Sean catching him at the bottom.  

 Caelan just couldn't hold it together anymore.  Once we wrapped her up in some towels, she was out cold in my arms for about an hour. 

  ....and then she woke up, and it actually got much nicer.  Here she is with grandma carol in the kiddie pool.  

Enjoying Huckleberry Ice Cream Sandwiches.  

Caelan kept doing this at my parents house.....folding herself in two and then putting her hands out to her sides.....goofy girl!  

 

When we got to Billings, I thought I'd give Sean a 'break' by having him stay with his sister & husband at their new house, while I stayed with my parents with the kids.  He did have a great 'break' from the kids, but after several days of changing 10-12 diapers a day and waking up to a screaming Caelan every morning at the crack of dawn (because she had pooped and her butt hurt) , I was done being a single parent and ready for some help from Papa, so we all stayed with Molly and Roland on Sunday night - before we headed back to the cabin on Monday.  Here are the kiddos after dinner - snuggling on the couch in rare fashion. 

We also took in some fun at Geyser Park with my parents and Aunt Molly while we were in Billings.  

 Notice Caelan's classic 'DIVA' look below...it was close to 100 degrees that day....